With just over three weeks left until the start of the 2020 NFL season, you might think there isn't much left that can change in the Fantasy rankings, but anyone who has played this game long enough knows there's still plenty left to be shaken up. Training camp represents the last opportunity for those changes this season, but given that this is the first time players are actually working out together as a full team, there's probably going to be even more changes than normal at the skill positions like running back.
Looking around the league, we likely have legitimate competitions going on in Buffalo, New England, Miami, Indianapolis, Washington, Detroit, and the Rams, and plenty of questions left to answer for more than half the league. Which means where the rankings stand in mid-August isn't where they'll end up come Week 1.
Jamey Eisenberg, Dave Richard, Heath Cummings, Ben Gretch and Adam Aizer have all updated and expanded their rankings at the start of camp, this time showing you their top-24 running backs. You can see the consensus rank below, along with where each member of the team ranked each player, and I've provided a breakdown of some of the biggest disagreements and most notable ranks below that.
Here's where the running back position stands:
| | JAMEY | DAVE | HEATH | BEN |
| Christian McCaffrey | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Saquon Barkley | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Alvin Kamara | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Ezekiel Elliott | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Dalvin Cook | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire | 6 | 6 | 10 | 6 |
| Miles Sanders | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| Kenyan Drake | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
| Austin Ekeler | 10 | 10 | 6 | 10 |
| Joe Mixon | 9 | 8 | 12 | 9 |
| Derrick Henry | 12 | 11 | 7 | 13 |
| Josh Jacobs | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 |
| Nick Chubb | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 |
| Aaron Jones | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 |
| James Conner | 15 | 15 | 14 | 19 |
| Chris Carson | 16 | 16 | 15 | 20 |
| Le'Veon Bell | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 |
| Melvin Gordon | 17 | 17 | 20 | 18 |
| Todd Gurley | 18 | 19 | 18 | 17 |
| David Johnson | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 |
| Leonard Fournette | 21 | 24 | 23 | 23 |
| Devin Singletary | 24 | 21 | 22 | 24 |
| Jonathan Taylor | 23 | 28 | 27 | 15 |
| Kareem Hunt | 22 | 30 | 19 | 26 |
Biggest disagreements
The question for Edwards-Helaire after the draft was whether he would be the No. 1 option in this offense. With Damien Williams' opt out, there's really no question about that. However, that still doesn't mean Edwards-Helaire is going to dominate work here - he split time with Darrel Williams with the first-team offense in the early days of camp and hasn't been asked to do much pass blocking. If Edwards-Helaire is the lead back, he'll be a must-start Fantasy option; if he's an every-down player, he could be a league winner. I'm on the opposite side of Heath on this one; it's hard to see a scenario where Edwards-Helaire stays healthy and isn't one of the five or so best running backs in the league in Andy Reid's offense.
Heath is The Austin Ekeler Guy this season, ranking him as a top-six option at the position. Ekeler is arguably the best pass-catching running back in the NFL and has been effective on the ground as well, rushing for at least 550 yards in each of the past two seasons. There are real questions, however: Will the Chargers ever trust him to be the main guy in the running game, and how will the Chargers use him now that Phillip Rivers is gone. If Ekeler remains an 8-10 carry guy, he'll need a healthy pass volume to justify a first-round cost, and with the more mobile Tyrod Taylor, that role may not be assured. On this one, I'll side with Heath. I definitely have questions have how much receiving work Ekeler is going to get, but he showed top-three upside without Melvin Gordon around last season.
If the path to 15-plus touches was clearer, we might talk about Taylor as a Fantasy prospect on the level of Leonard Fournette, Josh Jacobs or even Saquon Barkley when they entered the NFL. He was historically productive at Wisconsin and the Colts might have the best offensive line in the NFL to run behind — plus, we know Rivers loves to use those running backs in the passing game. Ben is betting on talent winning out, and with Marlon Mack working on an expiring contract, the Colts clearly aren't committed. It might be a slow start, but Taylor could be a booster engine for your roster. If I have to pick a side here, I think I lean in Ben's direction. Taylor is a special talent and this is a great situation for him to maximize each touch. Even if he splits carries to start the season, Taylor could absolutely run away with this job.
Other notable rankings
Nobody has Leonard Fournette in the top 20
It's tough to get a sense for what expectations should be for Fournette. He really doesn't have much competition for touches, with Chris Thompson the only addition from last year's little-used RB depth chart. So, he certainly could have a huge role just like he did a year ago. Of course, the Jaguars also spent the offseason trying to trade Fournette to anyone who would take him, and couldn't find a buyer. They didn't pick up his option for next season, so this is probably his last season in Jacksonville. What incentive do they have to continue giving him touches if they're out of it halfway through the season?
Edwards-Helaire is the only rookie inside the top 20
There was a lot of excitement about this class of rookie runners, but the lack of offseason programs has created a lot of uncertainty as camps kick into high gear. It's entirely possible Taylor, D'Andre Swift, Cam Akers, and J.K. Dobbins earn a significant role by the time the season starts, but it's hard to bet on that right now. However, that could make each of these players a solid value in earlier drafts.
Zack Moss isn't in Heath's top-60
This one really stands out, but I can't say I disagree with it. Josh Allen is going to get his rushing production, including in the red zone, and he's not going to throw to his running backs much, so it's going to be hard for two backs to be Fantasy relevant here. Of course, it could very well be Moss who takes the job from Singletary, but I'm not particularly interested in this backfield either way.
Which players are poised for breakouts, which sleepers do you need to jump on, and which busts should you avoid at all costs in your Fantasy football league? Visit SportsLine now to get early rankings, plus see which WR is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that out-performed experts big time last season.
